HxH: I Will Be Supreme

While Kaji and Dama were away communicating with the Association, Oboro conducted experiments with the insects on living subjects to verify his theories.

In a grassy field, Oboro and Hisoka examined a dead soldier in front of them. Though the man's head was shattered, his limbs were mostly intact despite some damage.

A strange sound broke the silence as the corpse slowly rose from the ground, emitting an unmistakable aura of spiritual energy. Lance immediately fired his weapon, but the bullet did minimal damage, its power seemingly nullified by some force.

Hisoka flicked his cards through the air, cleanly severing one of the soldier's arms and leg. But even dismembered, the corpse continued to crawl. With its remaining leg, it lunged at them with surprising force.

Oboro's kick sliced through the air like a blade, shattering the soldier's body and causing it to explode.

"When the insects possess a living host, they control the mind while weakening its life force, as if draining it," Oboro explained. "After death, the bugs serve as a medium to stimulate mental energy, pure power with a tendency to form Nen. The way the energy contracts clearly shows defensive properties."

"In other words, once possessed, the brain becomes subservient to the insect. But since the insects lack consciousness or intelligence, they can only control the mental energy by instinct," he continued. "The post-mortem energy release comes from the bug itself, which first absorbs the host's energy before transforming it for use."

As he spoke, two worms emerged from the corpse's remains. The moment they were exposed to the air, they reflexively jumped up to attack. Their wings moved with such speed that they made no sound, a characteristic that made them nearly impossible to detect without direct sight.

"The thoughts or wills attached to them have a kind of 'protective coloring,'" Oboro noted. "Their sneak attacks are very similar to 'Absolute Power,' and they can resist attacks using thought energy. No wonder conventional soldiers are powerless against them."

With a casual flick of his cards, Hisoka sliced both insects in half. They vanished upon hitting the ground, along with any trace of their Nen.

"These insects are unique," Oboro said seriously. "Instead of simply parasitizing flesh to reproduce, they split the thoughts and attached 'will' within their bodies and transfer them to new hosts."

Sudden gunfire and explosions erupted behind them. Without a word, Lance grabbed Pingsen and Dangeri, his calf muscles glowing red-hot like branding irons. In the next instant, he fled with both men in his arms, moving with superhuman speed.

Oboro and Hisoka disappeared, heading toward the source of the commotion. As they approached the city, they witnessed a horrific scene: Soldiers in white body armor firing desperately at creatures of all shapes and sizes, both living and dead. The situation had developed into a massive beast outbreak.

The parasites were countless, tens of thousands at least, forming a writhing black mass like a vast dark ocean. The East Gorteau army stationed near the Serrated Mountains had been driven back, their numbers drastically reduced to less than a thousand.

The parasites had infected birds, beasts, and reptiles, their varied attack patterns rendering conventional firearms ineffective. Flocks of infected birds rained down from above, their impact as deadly as bullets. Though the beasts in front of them fell to the gunfire, they quickly rose again. Even as their bodies were torn apart by bullets, the flying insects took off for the nearest targets.

Soldiers whose protective gear was torn apart screamed as they became prey. Others, witnessing such horror, fled in panic. It seemed that every creature in the Jagged Mountains had abandoned its habitat.

The ability of the insects to divide was terrifying. What might have started as a few parasites had multiplied to unimaginable numbers through successive cycles of infection and hatching.

In the midst of the chaos stood a remarkable figure, a Nen user specializing in mental enhancement. Though he wore an East Gorteau military uniform, he fought without protective gear. His aura surpassed even Oboro's, and he cut through the beast tide like a human bulldozer. His telepathic abilities were so destructive and far-reaching that Oboro was reminded of Wogin. He hadn't expected East Gorteau to have such a powerful ghost-type fighter.

Oboro and Hisoka hid in the city's woods behind the military camp, using Zetsu to mask their presence. Thanks to the presence of the enhancement expert, the military's casualties had stabilized somewhat. Though the soldiers continued to retreat, their front line held against the parasites.

The line is about to break, the battlefield will expand again," Oboro thought grimly.

He was about to suggest that Hisoka retreat when a figure appeared deep within the beast flood, a man with long braids, his face covered with tattoo-like totems, wearing white robes. A member of the Bozwa tribe.

The rampaging parasites avoided attacking him. Oboro's pupils contracted as he watched the Bozwa man raise his hands to the sky in a ritual gesture. Then, without warning, the man drew a dagger and slit his own throat.

Unlike the other corpses, he did not rise. Instead, the surrounding parasites stopped their rampage, gathered around his body, and began to devour it completely, leaving not even bones behind. Immediately after that, Oboro could feel the massive horde growing more restless, their aura becoming more ferocious.

"Retreat!" Oboro shouted and immediately broke into a run. Hisoka followed without hesitation.

They didn't stop until they had reached a safe distance behind the Serrated Mountains, half a day later. Hisoka stopped when he noticed something wrong with his companion.

"What is it?" he asked.

Based on his knowledge of Oboro, Hisoka sensed that his friend had realized something important.

"It's not pure grudge energy or direct post-mortem thoughts," Oboro muttered, replaying the Bozwa man's actions in his mind. "Instead, it's indirectly transmitted through a medium that carries a post-mortem will with specific rules."

Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization.

"It's similar to the urn ceremony of the War of Succession," he said. "Although the effects are different, the basic elements are the same: rules, places, sacrifices, and participants. Combined with our earlier observations, the Bozwa must possess a special artifact."

Oboro continued his analysis, speaking more to himself than to Hisoka. "The origin of the first insect, it's simpler than the urn ceremony, focused solely on racial survival. The participants are the Bozwa people and the monarch of the kingdom, with all of East Gorteau as the venue. The target is the royal family, and the sacrifices are the Bozwa themselves."

"The ceremony requires Bozwa members to sacrifice themselves periodically until only the last 'spark of life,' the last human, remains. Only then will the division and parasitism end."

Hisoka watched with fascination as he had never seen Oboro in such a state. A half-smile played on his face as he listened to his companion's fevered deductions.

After Oboro had finished explaining his theory about the ritual's mechanics and its similarities to the War of Succession, he finally remembered Hisoka's presence. "We must find Lance and the others and return to the base."

Hisoka's expression changed subtly. Although he was still confused by many details, he understood enough to know that Oboro had grasped something profound about their situation. His gaze grew more intense as he studied his companion.

"Please stop looking at me with those predatory eyes," Oboro said coldly and walked ahead without turning around.

"Hehehe," Hisoka chuckled but said nothing more.

Soon, they found Lance and his companions and headed back to the border. A few days later, they reached their temporary base near the checkpoint, where Kaji and Dama were waiting for them.

Oboro immediately called Netero to report his findings and the situation in East Gorteau. After listening to Oboro's analysis, the chairman responded with characteristic nonchalance.

"Well, your conclusion is most likely correct. The situation appears to be more serious than expected," Netero said slowly. "I must commend you, finding the truth so quickly proves I chose well."

"This is no time for jokes," Oboro interrupted. "If this is indeed a ritual, it may not threaten the outside world, but it could completely destroy East Gorteau. At this rate of division, the conflict will engulf the land, leaving few survivors."

The conversation ended with Netero being typically evasive about direct intervention, leaving Oboro to grit his teeth in frustration at the old man's attitude.

Damn the old man,' he thought, narrowing his eyes as he ended the call.